Pro-inflammatory cytokine responses in the colon of <i>C. jejuni</i> infected infant mice.

<p>Conventionally colonized 3-weeks-old infant mice were orally infected with <i>C. jejuni</i> strain ATCC 43431 (43431, crossed circles) or B2 (solid circles) as described in Methods. Concentrations (pg per mg colon) of (<b>A</b>) nitric oxide, (<b>B</b>) TNF-α, (<b>C</b>) IL-6, (<b>D</b>) MCP-1, and (<b>E</b>) IFN-γ were determined in supernatants of <i>ex vivo</i> colon cultures at day 6 p.i. by Griess reaction or CBA-ELISA, respectively. Uninfected mice (Naïve, open circles) served as negative controls. Numbers of analyzed animals are given in parentheses. Means (black bars) and levels of significance (<i>P</i>-values) as compared to the respective group (determined by Student’s <i>t</i>-test) are indicated. Data shown are representative for three independent experiments.